[Magdalen] Rent.

[M J _Mike_ Logsdon]

>>>We just signed on for another year. I had braced myself for a terrible
rent increase but it was only $25 a month. We're hoping to buy a house
at some point, but we're not moving toward that financially, and my
dear partner's insistence on building a house rather than buying has
put the whole thing on hold because I object--the thought of building
makes my head explode, and I have a problem with helping "pave
paradise" with another house when there are plenty already on offer.<<<

My increases were small, until now ($205 !!!).  Butt, I'm now where they wanted me all along, just took too long to do it (building up to it would have hurt, but not so bad; an instance where pulling off the bandaid would have best been done slowly).  So, I figure I'll manage one, MAYBE even two years without another increase.  Because at some point they have to stop.  I have the blessed yet lamentable situation of being in the best apartment of the 18 there, so, high rates can be justified; but the ENTIRE PLACE is so unrenovated, so un-up-to-modern energy code, that they can't reasonably raise it much more, technically if any, because I've been there for 11 years now, AND I know the owners, and those cheapskates would rather hold onto reliable rent than lose a good customer.

As for building, Scott, first:  YOU DON'T DO THE BUILDING, so breathe into a paper bag and relax.  True, it's a lot of fuss, but at least with a new home it's a thing of your own creation, and generally cheaper by the square foot than with a home that's already accrued value.  Of course, location location location is key, so buy in the right location location location, and you can maybe get your land for a song, and all that's left is the nails and wood.  (I deal with structural values all the time with my floodplain job.  Which means, OH, and by the way, DON'T build on a hill [view view view location location location], and DON'T build anywhere near a watercourse.  TRUST me.  :-)=